Car-coupling



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GAR GOUPLINGI y Patented Mar. 3*, '1896.V

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UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

THEODOR HAGEN, OF TRIPOLT, IOVLI.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,506, dated March 3, 1896.

Application led October 5, 1895.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODOR HAGEN, a citizen of the United States, residin g at Tripoli, in the county of Bremer and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in car-couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of car-couplings, and to provide a simple and eifcient one capable of coupling automatically and adapted to be readily uncoupled without going be'- tWeen cars.

Another object of the invention is to enable a link to be supported in a horizontal position for guiding it into the mouth of a draw-head and enable the car-coupling to couple with the ordinary pin-and-link car-couplings.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car-coupling Constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a car. Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view of the draw-head, the spacing-block being in position for shortening the link to enable the car-coupling to be coupled with the ordinary pin-and-link drawhead Without bending or otherwise injuring the link. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken longitudinally of the draw-head and illustrating the construction of the spring-actuated linkengaging bars and showing the same in engagement with a link. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of one of the link-engaging bars.

Like numerals of reference designate corre- .sponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a draw-head, having a longitudinal link-opening and composed of upper and lower sections 2 and 3 suitably bolted and interlocked to secure the necessary solidity, and within the draw-head is arranged a pair of link-holding bars 4, adapted to engage the upper faces vof the sides of a link 5 to hold the latter in a horizontal position for Serial No. 564,784. (No model.)

guiding it in the mouth of a draw-head. The link-holding bars 4 have their front portions curved upward and their rear terminals are provided with eyes or openings through which passes a transverse pivot 5a, which hinges the bars 4 to the draw-head and permits them to move independently of each other. The upper section of the draw-head is provided with longitudinal recesses 6 to receive the link-holding bars, and the front or outer portions of the recesses are enlarged to receive the curved portions of the bars 4. These bars are prvided at their outer side edges with depending iianges 7, which receive the link between them and prevent the same from moving laterally out of engagement with them, and the lower section of the car-coupling is provided with recesses 8 to receive the flanges 7.

The link is yieldingly engaged by the bars 4, which are pressed downward by spiral springs 4a, located above the bars in sockets or recesses of the upper section of the drawhead and having their lower ends engaging the upper faces of the bars and receiving studs or projections thereof.

The link is engaged by a coupling-pin 9, arranged in a slot 10 of the draw-head and provided with a longitudinal slot 11, through which passes a pivot-pin 12. The slot 10 of the draw-head is substantially triangular and its front wall is vertical, and the couplingpin when in a vertical position is adapted to bear against the front wall of the slot l0. The lower section of the draw-head is provided with a central longitudinal recess 13 to receive the lower end of the coupling-pin, and the slot 10 of the upper section permits the couplingpin to swing rearward or inward to enable a link entering the draw-head to pass it and be engaged by the same to eifect the operation of coupling. Vhen the link is in engagement with the coupling-pin the lower end of the latter bears against the front wall of the central recess 13 of the lower section of the draw-head.

The slot 12 of the coupling-pin permits the latter to move vertically to effect the operation of uncoupling, and the coupling-pin is maintained normally in a vertical position by a spiral spring 14 mounted on top of the drawhead and located in rear of the2coupling-pin, and connected at its front end to the upper IOO end of the same andV at its rear end to the draw-head. The spring 14 is arranged within a casing 15, which is substantially U-shaped or semitubular, which is secured to the drawhead at opposite sides thereof and extends over the top of the same.

The operation of uncoupling is performed from the sides of a car 16 by a horizontal roekshaft 17 journaled on the ear in suitable bearings thereof and provided with a central arm 18, connected by a chain with the upper end of the coupling-pin, and when the rock-shaft is rotated and the arm 18 swung upward the coupling-pin is lifted out of engagement with the link. The rock-shaft may be provided at each end with a handle to enable it to be operated at either side of the ear, and a rod 19, which extends to the top of the car, is connected with the rock-shaft and is adapted to rotate the same and enable the couplingpin to be lifted from the top of the car. The rod is arranged in a guide 2O and is provided at its lower end with an eye receiving the rock-shaft, and the latter is provided with a projection or arm 21 arranged in rear of the rod 19, whereby when the rod is swung inward the rockshaft will be rotated.

The shank or draw-bar of the draw-head is slidingly mounted on the ear in suitable guides or ways, and the draw-head is provided at its top with an enlargement 22, bctween which and the car is interposed a spiral spring 23,arran ged partially within the easing 15 and adapted to form a cushion to protect the parts in coupling.

The link is slightly longer than that employed in the ordinary pin-and-link car-couplings, and to prevent any liability of the link being bent or otherwise injured when used to couple the improved draw-head with the ordinary pin-and-link drawhead a spacingblock 21- is employed and is interposed between the two draw-heads. The spacingbloek is rectangular and is provided with a link-opening 25, and it has at its top a pair of hooks 26 adapted to engage the draw-head to assist in supporting it in position. The block ts on the link and thereby shortens the same, and it is designed to be connected to the car by a chain or other suitable means to prevent it from being lost.

It will be seen that the car-coupling is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is capable of automatic eoupling, and that it may be readily uncoupled without going between ears, and that it is adapted to hold a link in a horizontal position to guide it into the mouth of the draw-head.

' Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principleor saeriiicing any advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a link, means for engaging the link, and a pair of longitudinally-disposed linkholding bars located within the drawhead at opposite sides thereof, independently hinged at their inner ends to the same and having their front ends curved upward, said link-holding bars being adapted to engage yieldingly the upper face of the link and capable of independent movement, substantially as described.

2. In a ear-coupling, the combination of a draw-head means for engaging a link, longitudinally-disposed link-holding bars independently hinged at their inner ends t0 the draw head, and having their outer ends curved upward, and provided at their sides with depending iianges, and springs for forcing the bars downward into engagement with the lilik, substantially as described.

3. In a ear-coupling, the combination with a ear of a draw-head mounted on the car and provided in advance of the same with a shoulder or enlargement, a spring arranged at the top of the draw-head, and interposed between the car and the enlargement, a vertically-movable coupling-pin, having a longitudinal slot, a pivot passing through the slot hinging the coupling-pin to the draw-head, a spring connected with the coupling-pin and the drawhead and arranged in rear of the former, and the easing mounted on the draw-head, and forming a housing for the said springs, substantially as described.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, an elongated link, and a spacingblock arranged in advance of the draw-head, and provided with a link-openin g, and havin g supporting devices detaehabl y engaging the draw-head, substantially as described.

5. In a car-coupling, the combination with a draw-head, and an elongated link, of a spaeing-bar arranged on the link in advance of the draw-head, shortening the same and provided at opposite sides with hooks detaehably engaging the draw-head at the front thereof and suspending the block from the top of the same, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aliixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

'lI-IEODOR HAGEN.

IVitnesses:

J. J. MUELLER, ERNST HAGEN.

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